Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily. The competition concept is drawn directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe des Alpes and the Tour de Corse.

WWW Official Site

History

The inaugural event was held in April and May 1992 with a field of over 200 cars.
After three competitors died in 2021 and another in 2022, Motorsport Australia revoked the event's licence.
It is scheduled to resume in November 2025 with an amended course from Hobart to Launceston.

Rally format

The rally started as a five-day event, but has been run as a six-day event for anniversaries in 2001, 2006 and 2016.
The layout of the 2016 event was:

Leg 1 Launceston - George Town - Launceston
Leg 2 Launceston - St Helens - Launceston
Leg 3 Launceston - Sheffield - Launceston
Leg 4 Launceston - Stanley - Strahan
Leg 5 Strahan - New Norfolk - Hobart
Leg 6 Hobart - Hobart

In 2008 the course was substantially revised, a number of well liked stages from previous years are now used, and a number of all new stages were introduced. Leg 3 was dropped by shortening the Leg 2 East Coast day ending back in Launceston. Leg 3 is another loop north out of Launceston. Leg 4 later ran from Launceston through the lunch stop at Burnie to the evening end at Strahan. It was the longest tarmac rally in Australia with no repeated stages. Although a couple of stages will share the same piece of road in opposite directions on consecutive days.
The Targa is one of several Tarmac Rally events to be held in Australia. It also has had international connections with Targa New Zealand and Targa Newfoundland which have evolved since the inception of Targa Tasmania.

List of past winners

In 2016 the premier category changed from Modern to Showroom GT2.

Trophies Awarded

A Targa Trophy is awarded to the driver and co-driver/navigator of each crew that completes all stages within the specified time for their class of vehicle. In subsequent years, the trophy may be upgraded as follows:Golden Targa Trophy - 3 consecutive regular trophiesPlatinum Targa Trophy - having achieved Gold then gaining another 3 consecutive regular trophiesDiamond Targa Trophy - having achieved Platinum then gaining another 3 consecutive regular trophiesGold Diamond Targa Trophy - having achieved Diamond then gaining another 3 consecutive regular trophiesPlatinum Diamond Targa Trophy - having achieved Gold Diamond then gaining another 3 consecutive regular trophies
Once achieving Platinum Gold, the competitor is inducted into the Targa Hall of Fame Legends

Class	Competitors
Gold	Mary Hughes, Greg Fitzgerald, Suzanne Atkins, Steve Glenney, Scott Hunter, Trevor Macleod
Platinum	Ian Wheeler, Peter Roberts, Angus Kennard, Neil Botha, Kim Burke, Damien Grimwood
Diamond	Naomi Tillett, Kelly Handley, Peter Ullrich, Max Warwick
Gold Diamond	Geoff Taylor, Stephen Thatcher

In 2019, Geoff Taylor was the only competitor to have competed in all events.
In addition, each year the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy is awarded to the competitor who exhibits tenacity to overcome adversity while completing the event. It was first awarded in 1993.

Notable competitors

Notable past and current competitors have included Andrew Miedecke, Barry Sheene, Bob Wollek, Denny Hulme, Dick Johnson, Glenn Ridge, Greg Crick, Gregg Hansford, Jack Brabham, Jim Richards, Jochen Mass, Steven Richards, Jon and Gina Siddins, Mick Doohan, Murray Walker, Neal Bates, Peter Brock, Peter Fitzgerald, Roger Clark, Rusty French, Sandro Munari, Stirling Moss, Alister McRae, Walter Röhrl and Eric Bana. The first person with a spinal cord injury to compete in the rally was Australian wheelchair rugby player Nazim Erdem.